Buttonhole-stitching machine.



J. KIEWICZ.

BUTTONHOLE STITGHING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 13, 1912.

Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

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JOHN KIEWICZ, OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE REEGE BUTTON HOLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

BUTTONHOLE-STITCHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 16,1913.

Application filed July 13, 1912. Serial No. 709,140.

1 '0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN Krnwroz, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hyde Park, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Buttonhole- Stitching Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to buttonhole stitching machines, and more particularly to the under sewing mechanism of a button hole sewing machine, the invention being shown applied for convenience to that type of machine known to the trade as the Reece 7 button hole machine wherein a stitch frame carrying the stitch forming mechanism on the one hand and a work clamp or support on the other hand, is relatively movable so as to enable the stitching to be carried along the sides of the button hole and around its end or ends. Such stitchforming mechanism comprises usually an eye-pointed needle carrying the upper thread and, below and opposed thereto, the so-called complemental stitch forming mechanism or under sewing mechanism, which carries and operates an under thread in cooperation with theneedle carrying the upper thread.

The principal object of the present invention is to improve the operation and the mechanical fitting of the under needle whose path of movement and surroundings present certain difiiculties, as will be hereinafter explained- Heretofore known under sewing mechanisms for button hole sewing machines have been complicated, including many irregularly shaped and moving machine parts involving not only "diiiiculty and expense in design and construction, but also in adjustment and repair. In machines of this class improvements of simplification have been found both diiiicult and highly desired, not only because cheapening the construction of the mechanism, but rendering it more efficient and less likely to get into disorder.

The present improvements efiect a substantial simplification of mechanism.

The further and more detailed objects hereof will be set forth in the following clescription or will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I will first refer to my preferred embodiment of the present invention, to a type of mechanism in which the move ments of the needle and looper are substantially the same as in U. S. Letters Patent No. 695,039, granted March 11, 1902, upon the invention of WV. WV. Dixon, and I will thereafter point out the novel features in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a of the presentinvention. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l, but showing the under needle in its elevated rather than its depressed position. Fig. 3 is a left-hand elevation, that is to say looking toward the right-hand side of the parts shown in rear View in Fig. 1. Similarly Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the same partsshown in the other figures.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The clamp frame, the upper needle and bar, and the curb or cam casing may be as in said prior Dixon patent, and are not illustrated herein. The stock or block 1 having the circular upper end 2 adapting it to re ceive at suitable times a circular movement, may be fitted and actuated in any proper way. The lower part of the block 1 may be provided with thread tension devices, as in said prior patent, and since these and the path of the thread will be well understood, they are for clearness omitted. A throat piece 3 is permanently fixed to the block 1,

and its central aperture is disposed to properly receive the upper and under needles as they reciprocate in the process of sewing.

In machines of the class to which this invention refers, the under needle is designed to have a curved or substantially circular reciprocatory motion, and the under needle 4 hereof is adapted and fitted to the same end. Cooperating with the curved needle as applied is a simple oscillation in substantially the are of a circle, causing the needle to first pass upwardly through the button hole to a position above the fabric where it cooperates with the upper needle, the under needle then' returning to a position beneath the fabric where it cooperates with both the looper and the upper needle. In the Dixon patent the needle carrier is shown as a curved slide fitted to an arc-shaped slideway or race, this construction serving to guide the needle in the arc of a circle, and

this manner of fitting has been largely employed despite the disadvantages of a curved race and slide, which are not only difficult to construct and keep in repair, but cause excessive resistance, friction and wear. As will be clearly seen the present invention is contrary to the Dixon construction.

Considering the nature of machines of the present type and the essential motion of the curved lower needle from its position below to above the fabric, it will be understood that the center of oscillation of the needle must be at an elevated point, in fact substantially at or relatively close to the level of the fabric itself or the plate which supports it during the sewing operation. The further the center of oscillation is displaced from the work, the less truly will the needle pass vertically through the but ton hole as it should. It must also be remembered that the under sewing mechanism as a whole has to be swung bodily around at different stages of the formation of a button hole, and all of its parts during such movement must freely clear the fixed parts of the machine so as to avoid accidental contact. An essential part 7 of the machine is shown for example in Fig. 1, which part has to be cleared as the under sewing mechanism circularly shifts. For these various reasons it has heretofore been found impossible to provide a simple shaft fitting, whereby the needle may be simply swung about a shaft located at its proper or natural center, since such a shaft would have been prohibitive on account of the interference above pointed out.

According to my present invention I have enabled the employment of a shaft or pivot for this purpose, by locating the actual axis or shaft at a substantially less distance from the carrier than the theoretical center of the needles arc of movement, and then bridglng the space from the actual center tothe ear- 7 rier by a swinging arm pivoted upon the stock at such center, and then pivoting. the carrier to the other end of such swinging arm so that the needle instead of swinging about the actual center may be substantially causedto swing aboutthe desired theoretical center. I prefer to locate a shaft at the actual center, mount the swinging arm thereon and connect the needle carrier to such arm. By this arrangement the swinging arm constitutes a guiding means for one.

part of the carrier enabling the carrier to be considered as a link, having suitable guiding means at another point as well, so that. the two guiding means may cooperate to give the needle the desired'arc movement.

The stock 1 has an inclined extension 8,

the inclination being to enable the upper and lower needles to operate without conflict,

and on this extension 8 is located the axis plvot or shaft 9 fOrJthe swinging arm 10..

The carrier is shown pivoted at 11' to the swinging arm 10, although it might be otherwise connected thereto with equivalent results. 7

Considering the carrier 6 as a link, the arm 10 affords one guiding means connected at point 11. In order that thelink shall be positively guided, there should be another guiding means which might take different forms, but is shown as consisting of acam and stud connection, the stud 12 preferably being secured to the link or carrier, and the cam 13 being constituted .as a slot formed in the extension 8; This cam and stud may be said to be a superior equivalent of a second swinging arm. The two guiding means thus described are shown so arranged that the needle in oscillating will describe an are which is substantially the arc of a circle whose center is not at the pivot 9, but at aconsiderably higher point, which uponthe drawing would come within'the area of the fixed machine part 7. This result is effected herein by constituting the cam 13 not in a concentric form but rather, as shown, in the form of an eccentric slot so that there will be caused a slight relative angular movement, as bet-ween the arm 10 and the carrier 6, during operation.

I- prefer that the swinging arm 10 besecured upon shaft9 so that by oscillating the shaft the carrier is caused to move as desired. Fig. 3 indicates a convenient means of fitting the shaft 9, one end of which is journaled in the extension plate 8, and" the other end in an extension 14 produced for convenience as a part of the extension 8. This arrangement gives'the shaft 9 a certainty of action and steadiness of position so that there can be no lost motion in the oscillation of the needle. Securedupon the lee shaft 9 by means of its hub 15 is shown an actuating arm 16 extended as clearly shown arm 16 moving in an inclined plane, I prefer to provide a universal connection 18 between the arm 16 and the link'17.

A consideration of the fittings of the needle and carrier and the movement there of indicated by the respective positions of Figs. 1 and 2 will show that the needle is thereby caused to travel in the, substantial arc of a circle (strictly speaking it departs from a' circular arc) of a fairly long radius of oscillation whose center is so high as to coincide with parts of the machine external to the under sewing mechanism, whlle the.

arm 10 is of substantially shorter length than the needles aforesaid Substantial radius of oscillation. The arm 10 forming one guiding means, the other guiding means,

I namely the stud and cam, may be said to constitute a device actuating upon the needle carrier'to'cause the needle to swing with a substantial radius which is greater'than the length of the arm. If the carrier were rigidly secured to the arm, the needle would necessarily oscillate about shaft 9, but being pivoted the additional guiding device is enabled to modify the needles movement in the desired manner.

The improvement may be briefly restated as follows. The link 10 and the cam and stud 12, 13 are in efiect two distinct guid ing devices fitted at separated points upon the carrier 6, and together constituting the fittings enabling the carrier to be reciprocated upon the stock 1 as described, so as to carry the under needle from below to above the level of the work and return in a curved path about a center, which is imaginary rather than actual, located substantially at the work level. Thereby the under needle is enabled to constantly cooperate with an upper needle, and at the same time the stock, carrying the under sewing mechanism, is enabled to shift as may be necessary, for example by oscillation on its own vertical axis as explained.

By the under sewing mechanism above described, it willbe seen that the objects and advantages hereinbefore recited are accomplished in an effective manner, and other advantages will be apparent to those conversant with the art. Since the details hereof may be variously modified without departing from the principles of the present improvement, I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specified in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is:

1. In a button hole sewing machine an under sewing mechanism comprising .in combination a stock, a swinging arm pivoted upon said stock, an oscillating needle carrier pivoted to said arm, a stud on said carrier engaging a slot on said stock, and means to cause said carriers movements.

2. In a button hole sewing machine an under sewing mechanism comprising in combination a stock, a needle carrying link, a swinging arm pivoted to one part of said link and pivoted upon said stock, and a cam and stud for guiding another part of said link.

- 3. In a button hole sewing machine an under sewing mechanism comprising in combination a stock, a needle carrying link,

a swinging arm pivoted to one part of said link and pivoted upon said stock, and means for guiding another part of said link, said guiding means comprising a stud on said link engaging an eccentric slot in said stock. 4:. In a button hole sewing machine an under sewing mechanism comprising in combination a stock, a needle carrying link, a swinging arm pivoted to one part of said link and pivoted upon said stock, and means for guiding another part of said link, said guiding means comprising a stud on said link engaging an eccentric slot in a stationary extension of said stock.

In a sewing machine of the type having cooperating upper and under needles, an under sewing mechanism including in combination, a stock shiftable during the sewing operations, an under needle carrier, and fit tings for rendering said carrier reciprocable upon said stock to carry an under needle from below to above the level of the work and return in a curved path about an imag inary center located substantially at the work level, said fittings comprising two distinct devices fitted at two separated points upon said carrier both below such center of reciprocation.

6. In a sewing machine of the type having cooperating upper and under needles, an under sewing mechanism including in combination, a stock shiftable during the sewing operations, an under needle carrier, and fittings for rendering said carrier reciprocable upon said stock to carry an under needle from below to above the level of the work and return in a curved path about an imaginary center located substantially at the work level, said fittings comprising two distinct devices fitted at two separated points upon said carrier, at least one of said devices being a stud and cam connection between the stock and carrier.

7. In a sewing machine of the type having cooperating upper and under needles, an under sewing mechanism including in combination, a stock shiftable during the sewing operations, an under needle carrier, and fittings for rendering said carrier reciprocable upon said stock to carry an under needle from below to above the level of the work and return in a curved path about an imaginary center located substantially at the work level, said fittings comprising two dis tinct devices fitted at two separated point-s uponsaid carrier, at least one of said devices being a link pivoted directly to both the stock and carrier,

8. In a sewing machine of the type hav ing cooperating upper and under needles, an under sewing mechanism including in combination, a stock shiftable during the sewing operations, an under needle carrier, and fittings for rendering said carrier reciprocable upon said stock to carry an under needle from below to above the level of the work and return in a curved path about an imaginary center located substantially at the work level, said fitt'ngs comprising two distinct devices fitted at two separated points upon said carrier, at least one of said devices being a link pivoted to the stock and carrier, and means including a fixed-position shaft to which said link is secured, for effecting the oscillation of said link and carrier.

9. In a sewing machine of the type having cooperating upper and under needles, an under sewing mechanism including in combination, a stock shiftable during the sewing operations, an under needle carrier,

and fittings for rendering said carrier reciprocable upon said stock to carry an under needle from below to above the level of the work and return in a curved path about an imaginary center located substantially at the work level, said fittings comprising two distinct devices fitted at two separated points upon said carrier, bot-h below such center of reciprocation, and at least one of said devices being a link pivoted directly to both the stock and carrier, and having an effective length substantially shorter than the carriers etiective radius of oscillation.

10. In a sewing machine of the type having cooperating upper and under needles,

an under sewing mechanism including in combination, a stock shittable during the sewing operations, an under needle carrier,

' and fittings for rendering said carrier reciprocable upon said stock to carry an under needle from below to above the level of the 'work and return in a curved path about an imaginary center located substantially at the work level, said fittings comprising two distinct devices fitted at two separated points upon said carrier, one being a link pivoted to the stockv and carrier and the other being a stud and cam connectionbetween the stock and carrier.

11. In a sewing machine of the ltyp e fhav ing cooperating upper and under needles an under sewing mechanism including inv combination, a stock shiftable during the sewing operations, an under needle carrier, and" fittings for rendering said carrier reciprocable upon said stock to carry an under needle from below to above the level ofthe work and-return in a curved path about-an imaginary centerlocated substantiallyat the work level, said fittings comprising two distinct devices fitted at two separatedpoints upon said carrieiyonebeing a link pivoted I to thestock and carrier and theotherbeing a stud and cam connection between the stock an under sewing mechanism including in combination, a stock shiftable during the sod and carrier, said link having an efi'ectiveu length substantially shorter than the can sewing operations, an under, needle carrier,

and fittings for rendering said carrier reciprocable upon said stock to carry an under needle from below to above the level of the work and return in a curved path about an imaginary center located substantially at the work level, said fittings comprising two distinct devices fitted at two separated points upon said carrier, one being a link pivoted to the stock and carrier and the other being a stud and cam connection between the stock andcarrier, said link being pivoted near the end of the carrier from which the needle projects, and the cam and stud being connected near thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

7 JOHN KIEVVICZ, .lVitnesses: i

THOMAS J. OARTY, HAROLD J. W001).

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissionerpf Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

the opposite end 

